A row of tank wagons stands on the Belpre Industrial Parkersburg railway line in Belpre, in a warehouse, waiting for a customer to rent them. (Photo by Art Smith)
BELPR – For several weeks now, there has been a queue of tank cars lined up on the Belpre Industrial Parkersburg railway line in Belpre, and people have been complaining about it.
But it turns out that the railway stores them for customers who want to use them at some point. And these cars are empty and do not pose a threat to the community.
Railroad general manager Dustin Heichel said cars have been there for about a month on rails that are more than 100 years old.
He said that although his company had moved trees and shrubs that were on the rails when the railway was taken over, people were throwing branches along the line anyway and the railway had to clean them again to make room for those cars.
There were many complaints when the railroad ran several trains on the route each day, and Heichel said they now run only one train on this line after changing their schedules.
The top view shows the line of tank wagons in storage at the Belpre Industrial Parkersburg railway line in Belpre. (Photo by Art Smith)
However, Hehel said “We can’t make everyone happy. We do the best we can for the community. This happens when you live next to railroads. The tracks have been there longer than the houses. “
Heichel also said “We seem to be doing our fair share to help the community. It would be nice to respond to the fact and not throw a brush on the tracks. “
He also said that the railway has tried to maintain good relations with the Belpre community, such as working with the mayor’s office to help deal with complaints and launching holiday trains every year, carrying food and pet food for food banks and humanitarian communities. in Belpre and Parkersburg.
People who have concerns about what the railroad is doing can call Heichel at (607) 651-6106.
You can contact Larry Launstein Jr. at llaunstein@newsandsentinel.com.
Close-up of one of the tanks in storage in Belpre on the Belpre Industrial Parkersburg railway line. (Photo by Art Smith)
A line of tank wagons was formed in Belpre by the Belpre Industrial Parkersburg railway line. (Photo by Art Smith)
The line of tank wagons extends around a curve in Belpre, where they are stored by the Belpre Industrial Parkersburg railway line. (Photo by Art Smith)
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